31
Oct
Happy Halloween!
(Ben – an alien spaceship, Kaitlyn -spider, Alex – Waldo, Teague – soldier)
30
Oct
Through an unfortunate set of circumstances, Wade and I both ended up with new cars within weeks of each other. My minivan had 230,000 miles on it. Thankfully we had never had a major issue, but we wanted to avoid encountering one. Wade’s car was starting to have lots of expensive problems. We had been test driving cars for me to figure out what I wanted and had narrowed it down to a Chevy Traverse and a Kia Telluride. Wade had a couple he was interested in but finally decided on a Kia Stinger. He actually found one not too far away and was able to get a good deal. A few weeks later we found one for me at a dealership in NJ. After a month of bargaining and paperwork, mine was finally delivered.
30
Oct
Pop sent Alex some fun ties and Alex was rather excited about them. Now he just needs an excuse to wear them.
30
Oct
This book has been read 568 times, but he loves it and will read it many more times.
30
Oct
One of Alex’s friends left his mask at our house after the party last weekend. Kaitlyn decided to have a little fun with it.
30
Oct
Ben snuggled up with Daddy to watch some TV.
29
Oct
Wade decided to give Alex a temporary tattoo.
29
Oct
Sneaky nap struck again.
29
Oct
There is nothing Kaitlyn hates more than sports in the rain. When we left for cheer this morning it was already spitting rain. I brought my large umbrella but I was hoping the rain would hold off until after the game. After about 15 minutes, the rain started. It was pouring! Kaitlyn was immediately miserable. Thankfully her coach had brought some ponchos, but the poor girls weren’t even really cheering. They were just huddled under the umbrellas. Thankfully by halftime it had been decided to send the cheerleaders home!
29
Oct
Sorry!
29
Oct
Ben has a love of all thing accessories. He never leaves one behind.
28
Oct
Wade and I used to be able to track the pumpkin carving party years with how long we’d been married. Then we skipped a year when we first moved to MA and then COVID messed us up even more. Here we are at the 17th annual party and also the largest! We had over 50 people attend this year. We also had the best weather. The day hit a record of high 70s and was gorgeous blue skies all day. (Tomorrow is supposed to be 50s and raining all day.) My kids helped me clean and cook all day yesterday and most of the morning today.
We had school friends, neighbors, and church friends attend. We had groups of high schoolers, middle schoolers, and elementary school kids. We had parents take their kids to other places and then come back to hang out. It was a wonderful time and somehow I think I took the fewest pictures ever. We once again got a late start on carving and ended up with a group photo in almost darkness but we persevered and only one family left before we got to the picture.
28
Oct
Alex’s group really showed up for the party tonight! They even agreed to a group photo.
28
Oct
This is the only picture Teague appeared in throughout the entire party.
28
Oct
Only my two youngest were interested in carving pumpkins this year!
28
Oct
Ben is ready for the Pumpkin Carving Party!
27
Oct
Today was Pumpkin Lab day. Kaitlyn’s teacher had sent home a signup sheet weeks ago asking for donations and volunteers. I was happy to do both and ended up both volunteering and signing up to bring 2 pumpkins, and multiple sets of dumbbells. I did not think through the logistics of getting all the donations to the classroom. I’m sure I was quite the site walking into school – I had a backpack with 16 pounds of dumbbells and was carrying 2 pumpkins in my hands! I made it to the classroom and got setup with my four students. (Thankfully I had done this lab a few years ago with Teague.)
The kids were pretty easy to keep on task. Some of them enjoyed measuring and counting. Some of them enjoyed cleaning out the inside (others hated it – Kaitlyn). All four of them wanted to carve the pumpkins so we compromised and worked out 2 designs and carved two sides.
27
Oct
Alex waited till all the other kids were in bed before he joined me in the kitchen. He made his favorites – chocolate dipped pretzels. (I think he wanted to be in charge so that he could ensure there were no sprinkles.)
27
Oct
Teague got some new pajamas in the mail and proceeded to wear them all afternoon in preparation for bed. Because we have a big party tomorrow, chore day is today and the kids were pretty good about getting them done so that they could help with the cooking.
27
Oct
This is what I love to see at soccer. (Although it’s fun to see a good play or goal every now and then too.)
27
Oct
Ben being Ben – mismatched pajamas, a cape made from a dishtowel, and a banana sticker on his forehead.
26
Oct
Kaitlyn is obviously a favored child. Only she would convince Alex to share a bite of his ice cream.
26
Oct
The little elementary school no longer celebrates Halloween in the schools. They instead have a day for a Book Character Parade and Fall Party. Ben didn’t have strong feelings about his costume (and his Halloween costume isn’t ready yet), so I picked the Chicken costume we have. I laugh every time Ben puts it on. For the parade, each child also brings the book that corresponds to their costume. Ben brought “Chicken Little.” I am a class mom for Ben’s class this year so I went early to help the kids get ready for the parade.
After the parade, we went back inside for the Fall party. We read a book about Spookely the Square Pumpkin, then there was a pumpkin craft, and a pumpkin game. The kids were a little crazy but it was a fun afternoon!
26
Oct
Teague earned some extra chores this week and today he was cleaning the edge of the house for us.
26
Oct
Ben had his book character parade today. He loves his chicken costume so we went with the book “Chicken Little.”
25
Oct
I may end up really liking Alex’s choir teacher. She has a Halloween concert and the kids are required to dress up in costume. Alex hasn’t dressed up the last few years but now he has to! We helped him come up with a costume and I thought Waldo was perfect. He definitely looked the part. I was impressed with some of the other kids’ costumes and was amused at costumes I couldn’t even recognize.
25
Oct
Alex had a Halloween Choir concert tonight. “Where’s Waldo?”
25
Oct
Everyone loves bananas in this house.
25
Oct
We have had the craziest weather lately. It has been VERY warm and everyone has enjoyed being outside this week.
25
Oct
Ben has a sweet smile on his face, but look in the background. You will see Wade repairing the lamppost. Ben has run into it multiple times with the gokart and knocked the light off at least twice. The last time was the point of no return and Wade is now installing a new light.
24
Oct
Alex finally took apart his money wreath (pictured in this long post).
24
Oct
Teague was extremely helpful all afternoon. (I think he was bored.) I appreciated all the help.
24
Oct
I came to tell Kaitlyn goodnight and couldn’t find her. She was in her little “nest” trying to use the rest of her iPad time – after bedtime. Silly girl.
24
Oct
Wade decided it was time to teach Alex a very important life lesson.
24
Oct
I walked by Ben’s room to hear him attempting to read “Dog Man” – a book way beyond his current reading level. It was still adorable to listen to.
23
Oct
Wade was going to be gone during dinner and I was feeling uninspired when it came to cooking. Alex suggested make-your-own-pizza and I thought that sounded perfect. One of our local grocery stores sells their own fresh pizza dough and I bought enough for all the kids to make their own pizza.
23
Oct
Making pizzas for dinner.
23
Oct
Making pizzas for dinner.
23
Oct
Making pizzas for dinner.
23
Oct
Making pizzas for dinner.
23
Oct
Sunday Lineup. Because it’s fall they wanted to pose on a hale bale.
22
Oct
The last couple of months, both Kaitlyn and Ben have been packing their own entertainment for church. Kaitlyn normally brings a book and Ben brings his little blue bag of goodies. It’s been so nice leaving my bag of tricks at home and simply bringing a purse to church. Sometimes Ben brings cars or crayons or random little toys, but today he had an entirely random selection. My favorite were the three beer bottle caps. Wade and I don’t drink beer so I’d love to know where he got them?!? Thankfully these items (plus a backstretch) kept him entertained t he entire service.
21
Oct
Kaitlyn had a cheer competition today in Lowell. We got up and were out of the house before 8. Thankfully we’ve been to the same place numerous times so we knew where to park and how things work. The girls did a great job and were fun to watch, but they didn’t place.
Kaitlyn and I stopped for lunch on the way home and then it was back to life per normal in the Burch household.
21
Oct
Granny sent a Halloween box. Amazingly, all the kids were home to open it and call her to thank her.
20
Oct
Alex went on quite a rant about the opening of the baking soda vs baking powder containers. He loves the baking powder cans and doesn’t understand why the baking soda doesn’t use the same type of dispenser.
20
Oct
These guys can’t wait for Friday nights and a new episode of Lego Masters.
20
Oct
These guys can’t wait for Friday nights and a new episode of Lego Masters.
20
Oct
These guys can’t wait for Friday nights and a new episode of Lego Masters.
19
Oct
Alex was trying to be sneaky, but I caught him stealing my cereal. Big no no. Nobody eats my Cocoa Krispies!
19
Oct
Cross Country meet at Houlden Farm.